Germany - Varied Sailing Possibilites in Central Europe
From lakes to coastal waters, Germany has a lot to offer to those who know their way around a boat and enjoy the open seas. From the Baltic and North Sea coast to the lakes around Berlin, Germany is actually a sailor's paradise. Regions like Fehmarn Island, Kiel Bay and Mecklenburg Lake District are perfect for yacht charter Germany holidays.
General Info
Sitting in the middle of the European land mass, Germany has been a key player on the continent for centuries in numerous fields and that includes tourism. With so much history, culture and natural potential, Germany welcomes millions of tourists within its borders every year, including some from the Yacht Charter community.
Although a quintessentially a continental country, Germany does have a lot of fine sailing areas like the inland rivers of Rhein, Main, Mosel, Danube, Neckar and Elbe (not to mention all the lakes) or the coastal regions of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Meckleburg-Vorpommern which are a virtual hot spot for all Yacht Charter devotees.
The Baltic German shores and the North Sea coast are actually among some of the most popular tourist spots for locals and some of the neighboring countries. Yacht Charter tourists flock here during the summer season for the beautiful beaches and the almost Mediterranean climate. Regions like the Rügen Island, the Fehmarn Island or Kiel Bay have a long touristic and sailing history and that’s why they’re the most appreciated.
The interesting thing with Germany is that it has a long tradition of decentralization, ever since the times of the Holy Roman Empire, which means that no region can dominate over others. That means that while Berlin is the country’s official capital, it doesn’t also act as its economic center (that role is played by Frankfurt am Main) nor its cultural center (Munich holds that title). For the Yacht Charter foreigners, that means that all the country is worth visiting in order to get the full German experience.
Law & Order
Being very strict and well organized, the Germans also thought up a system for those people looking to sail the waters in or around the country. Starting off, every Yacht Charter skipper should have a sailing license (Segelschein) issued by the German Sailing Association (Deutsche Segler Verband, DSV). There are several types of license, according to the place where you sail: inland, maritime, coastal and high seas boating pilot’s license.
Generally, these types of license only apply to motorized boats, so in theory you can go sailing on simple boats without one, but there are special local legislations that might require some other form of qualification (in Berlin and Brandenburg a special license is obligatory for sails larger than 3m2). Yacht Charter sailors should check with the DSV ahead of the trip.
The basic permit can be obtained in as little as 15 to 20 hours tutoring and is the starting point for all other licenses. The most demanding is the Coastal Sailing License which requires the Yacht Charter enthusiast to follow intensive theory and practical study but can be used to sail abroad.
Licenses obtained in other countries are recognized as valid in Germany and this works the other way too. German-emitted licenses are considered valid throughout the EU space but also in numerous other countries across the Globe.